Medication adherence among recipients with chronic diseases enrolled in a state medicaid program

Abstract Limited information is currently available about medication adherence for common chronic conditions among the Medicaid population. The primary objective of this study was to assess medication adherence among Medicaid recipients with depression, diabetes, epilepsy, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension. Factors influencing adherence were determined. The authors also assessed whether adherence influences the utilization of acute care services. The target population included nonelderly adult recipients (ages 21-64 years) who were continuously enrolled in the Mississippi (MS) Medicaid fee-for-service program from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2007. Recipients were identified who had a medical services claim with a diagnosis of depression, diabetes, epilepsy, hypercholesterolemia, or hypertension in calendar year 2006. Within each chronic disease sample, medication adherence was determined using calendar year 2007 data for recipients who met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Recipients with adherence ≥80% were classified as adherent. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine the factors that predict medication adherence and the effect of adherence on concurrent all-cause acute care service (ie, hospitalization, emergency room visit) utilization. Approximately 24% of recipients with depression, 35.9% with diabetes, 53.6% with epilepsy, 32% with hypercholesterolemia, and 42.2% with hypertension were adherent. Within each chronic disease sample, males and whites had higher adherence than females and blacks. After controlling for demographic and disease-related covariates, recipients who were adherent had lower concurrent acute care service utilization than nonadherent recipients. Given the inverse relationship between adherence and acute care service utilization, policy makers should consider implementing educational interventions aimed at improving adherence in this underprivileged population. (Population Health Management 2012;15:253-260).     

Mandated managed care programs for medicaid recipients

Journal of Community Health -     

孕期营养状况对妊娠结局的影响

目的调查博兴县孕产妇饮食行为和孕期营养状况及对其妊娠结局的影响,为以后孕产妇的合理膳食及优生优育提供参考依据。方法采用问卷调查的方法对259名孕产妇的饮食行为及孕期营养状况进行调查。结果孕产妇的营养知识、态度、行为水平较高,但仍有31.3%的孕产妇营养状态一般,对合理膳食了解较少,不同文化程度、孕期不同增重和孕期不同营养状况对妊娠结局影响有统计学意义。结论建立和健全各级孕妇的健康教育机构,指导孕产妇科学合理的安排营养膳食,养成良好、科学的饮食习惯,可促进孕产妇及胎儿的健康。     

Maternal nutritional status and adolescent pregnancy outcome

To investigate the determinants of low birth weight of infants born to adolescent mothers, we studied the obstetric population attended at the Maternity Hospital of Lima, Peru. From this population we selected for study a sample of 1256 adolescent mothers ranging in age from 12 to 25 yr. The study included anthropometric and biochemical measurements used to evaluate nutritional status and physiological maturity of the mother and newborn. Findings from the present research indicate that the low birth weight of infants born to adolescent mothers is not due to premature delivery (short gestation) or low gynecological maturity. Furthermore, young adolescent mothers had smaller and thinner newborns than those born to older women who were adjusted for nutritional status during pregnancy and at delivery. That is, despite the similar nutritional status among the young adolescent mothers, the availability of nutrients for the accumulation of calories in the fetus (measured by skinfold thickness) was less than that of older women. Furthermore, the pregnancy weight gain associated with an optimal or average newborn weight is greater for young teenagers than for older women. These findings support the hypothesis that among rapidly growing teenagers the nutritional requirements of pregnancy may be greater than those of older women, and that this increased requirement competes with the growth needs of the fetus.     

妊娠心理状况对分娩方式及妊娠结局的影响

目的探讨女性妊娠心理状况对分娩方式和妊娠结局的影响。方法回顾性分析200例健康妊娠女性病历,根据不同分娩方式分为顺产组、剖宫产组、产钳助娩组。通过汉密顿焦虑量表(HAS)和抑郁量表(HDS)评分3组妊娠女性心理精神状况,对比不同妊娠结局的HAS及HDS评分。结果 200例妊娠女性中,顺产组124例(62.0%),剖宫产组53例(26.5%),产钳助娩组23例(11.5%),其中顺产组的HAS、HDS评分显著低于剖宫产组和产钳助娩组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);良好妊娠结局产妇妊娠心理精神状况评分显著低于不良妊娠结局的产妇,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论妊娠女性的心理精神状态对分娩方式的选择有明显的影响,并且心理精神状况良好的女性妊娠结局较理想。     

Zinc status and pregnancy outcome of pregnant Lebanese women

Serum, hair and urinary zinc levels were measured in 51 pregnant Lebanese women during the last 6 weeks of pregnancy and in 50 nonpregnant controls. Mean serum zinc was significantly lower and mean urinary zinc was significantly higher in pregnant women than in nonpregnant women. Pregnant women gave birth at term to infants who averaged 3449 g (range 2700 and 4300 g); no birth defects were noted. The six women who smoked 0.5 or more packages of cigarettes per day gave birth to infants who were significantly smaller than the other infants (2940 g). Infant birth weight was not correlated with hair, urinary, or plasma zinc, parity or maternal blood pressure. The zinc nutriture of the Lebanese pregnant women seemed to be adequate to support fetal growth.     

Nutritional status and unfavourable pregnancy outcome in Egyptian women

The nutritional status in 43 cases of repeated spontaneous (habitual and threatened) abortion with both favorable and unfavorable results was assessed by the 24-hour recall method, as compared to 19 normal terminating pregnancies, all of which were in women of low socioeconomic class and who were considered to be malnourished. All pregnant women were monitored at 2 points during gestation, namely 6-12 weeks and 12-16 weeks, by measuring human chorionic gonadotropin as the main hormonal marker in pregnancy and by total and fractional serum protein estimation as a biochemical probe to both the nutritional status and to the course and outcome of pregnancy. Chorionic gonadotropin was significantly decreased in cases of unfavorable outcome in both gestational periods. Apart from the usual physiological changes of pregnancy in total serum protein and its fractions, a significant increase of the beta globulin fraction in the earlier gestational period only was observed. This increase corresponded to and was inversely proportional to the decreased levels of hCG. The authors therefore suggest the introduction of serum protein electrophoresis as a simple routine procedure for screening high risk pregnancies and thus, the early prediction of unfavorable pregnancy outcome.     

Diabetes and depression care among medicaid beneficiaries

This study evaluates the relationship between diabetes mellitus and depression care among non-elderly Medicaid beneficiaries, using claims data from the 1995 State Medicaid Research Files for Alabama, Georgia, New Jersey, and Wisconsin. Presence of comorbid diabetes was found to be significantly associated with a higher rate of depression diagnosis. Among those who were diagnosed as depressed, treatment of comorbid diabetes was associated with a higher rate of antidepressant treatment than among depression-diagnosed patients who did not also have diabetes. However, among patients with diabetes and depression, a quarter received only tricyclic antidepressants. Controlling for other characteristics, African Americans diagnosed with depression were less likely to receive antidepressant treatment and, if they did receive such treatment, more likely to receive the older tricyclic drugs. These findings raise concern for glycemic control among patients with diabetes and depression treated with tricyclic antidepressants in a low-income Medicaid population. Among depressed Medicaid beneficiaries with diabetes, there are racial differences with regard to quality of mental health care in the presence of diabetes.     

Work in operating rooms and pregnancy outcome among nurses

The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between work in an operating room and pregnancy outcome, as described by the rates of spontaneous abortion and of birth defects. The population comprised the female nurses of 17 hospitals in Paris, interviewed in 1987–1989. An exposed group included all operating room nurses, and a control group was composed of female nurses in other departments matched by hospital, age and duration of service. Each woman described all prior pregnancies. In total, 776 pregnancies were described by 418 nurses who were first pregnant in 1970 or thereafter; ectopic pregnancies, those terminated by voluntary induced abortion and those leading to multiple births were excluded. The rate of spontaneous abortion was significantly higher for pregnancies during which women worked in an operating room than for the other pregnancies. Birth defects were not significantly related to work in an operating room during pregnancy. These results are in agreement with others showing a significant relationship between occupational exposure to operating rooms and spontaneous abortion, although identification of the responsible factor remains difficult. They suggest that effective ventilating systems should be installed in all operating rooms and that special preventive measures must be taken for women of childbearing age.     

Mental illness and length of inpatient stay for medicaid recipients with AIDS

OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations between comorbid mental illness and length of hospital stays (LOS) among Medicaid beneficiaries with AIDS. DATA SOURCE AND COLLECTION/STUDY SETTING: Merged 1992-1998 Medicaid claims and AIDS surveillance data obtained from the State of New Jersey for adults with >or=1 inpatient stay after an AIDS diagnosis from 1992 to 1996. STUDY DESIGN: Observational study of 6,247 AIDS patients with 24,975 inpatient visits. Severe mental illness (SMI) and other less severe mental illness (OMI) diagnoses at visits were ascertained from ICD-9 Codes. About 4 percent of visits had an SMI diagnosis; 5 percent had an OMI diagnosis; 43 percent did not have a mental illness diagnosis, but were patients who had been identified as having an SMI or OMI history; and 48 percent were from patients with no identified history of mental illness. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The overall mean hospital LOS was 12.7 days. After adjusting for measures of HIV disease severity and health care access in multivariate models, patients presenting with primary and secondary severe mental illness (SMI) diagnoses had approximately 32 percent and approximately 11 percent longer LOS, respectively, than did similar patients without a mental illness history (p<0.001 for each). But in these adjusted models of length of stay: (1) diagnosis of OMI was not related to LOS, and (2) in the absence of a mental illness diagnosed at the visit, an identified history of either SMI or OMI was also not related to LOS. In adjusted models of time to readmission for a new visit, current diagnosis of SMI or OMI and in the absences of a current diagnosis, history of SMI or OMI all tended to be associated with quicker readmission. CONCLUSIONS: This study finds greater (adjusted) LOS for AIDS patients diagnosed with severe mental illness (but not for those diagnosed with less severe mental comorbidity) at a visit. The effect of acute severe mental illness on hospitalization time may be comparable to that of an acute AIDS opportunistic illness. While previous research raises concerns that mental illness increases LOS by interfering with treatment of HIV conditions, the associations here may simply indicate that extra time is needed to treat severe mental illnesses or arrange for discharge of afflicted patients.     

前置胎盘的危险因素及其对妊娠结局的影响

目的:探讨前置胎盘发病的危险因素及其对妊娠结局的影响。方法:采用病例对照的研究方法,选择72例前置胎盘孕产妇为病例组,随机抽取同期80例正常孕产妇作为对照组,比较两组的临床资料、妊娠结局,评价前置胎盘组的危险因素。结果:前置胎盘的高危因素包括高龄、文化程度较低、胎次多、流产史、盆腔炎、瘢痕子宫等;前置胎盘易导致胎盘粘连、产后出血、早产、1 min Apgar评分下降、低出生体重。结论:前置胎盘发病是单个或者多个因素所致,防治前置胎盘要严格落实计划生育政策,加强孕产妇管理,做到早筛查、早诊断和早治疗。     

Adolescent pregnancy: associations among body weight, zinc nutriture, and pregnancy outcome

In a double-blind zinc trial in low-income, pregnant adolescents thought to be at risk for poor zinc nutriture, subjects were randomly assigned to receive 30 mg zinc (gluconate) or placebo. Response to zinc was related to maternal weight. Infants of normal-weight mothers given zinc had reduced rates of prematurity (p = 0.05) and assisted respiration (p = 0.006). Underweight multiparas given zinc had longer gestational lengths (p = 0.008) than did subjects given the placebo. Multiple stepwise regression analysis, used to identify predictors of infant size, revealed that 14-26% more variance was accounted for in the zinc than in the placebo group. Except for gestational age, the predictors selected were entirely different in the two groups. The zinc group had a positive toxemia screen more often, which did not appear to affect outcome. Zinc supplementation improved pregnancy outcome in normal-weight women and in underweight multiparas. The nonresponse in underweight primiparas was perhaps due to multiple limiting factors.     

Quality of care problems among medicare and medicaid patients

The purpose of this study was to characterize quality of care problems among Medicare and Medicaid inpatients in New York State. The patients selected for this study comprised 1991 and 1992 Medicare and all 1992 Medicaid inpatients in whom quality of care problems with actual or potential adverse effects were found. The patients in this study were drawn from public, proprietary, voluntary and teaching hospitals.A total of 1000 quality of care problems with either actual or potential adverse effects were found in 706 Medicare patients. Two hundred and seventy-five (275) quality of care problems with actual or potential adverse effects were found in 154 Medicaid patients. Premature death occurred in 53 (7.4%) of the 706 Medicare and in 42 (27.2%) of the 154 Medicaid patients. Treatment problems and monitoring failures accounted for the majority of quality of care problems with actual or potential adverse effects for both Medicare (63.0%) and Medicaid (75.7%) patients. Among Medicare patients, the treatment of infections and antibiotic use, fluid and electrolyte management, and inappropriate drug use were among the leading causes of quality of care problems. Attending physicians were associated with the majority of Medicare quality of care problems while house staff and attending physicians were associated with the majority of those among Medicaid patients.The results of this study indicate that there are several leading causes of quality of care problems among Medicare and Medicaid patients. Treatment problems and monitoring failures together comprise the majority of such problems. Among Medicare patients, it was found that most quality of care problems were associated with the treatment of infections and antibiotic use, fluid and electrolyte management, and inappropriate drug use. Most quality of care problems among Medicaid patients were associated with these categories as well as with labor and delivery problems, and poor discharge planning.The results of this study reflect the peer-review process in which providers are given an opportunity to respond to physicianreviewer decisions about the presence of actual or potential adverse effects. Such a process, which permits the presentation of additional data and information by providers, produces fewer final adverse outcome determinations than a process uniquely based on chart review.The quality of care problems observed in this study are amenable to focused educational interventions. Such remedial interventions could yield significant improvements in the quality of care for all patients.     

Iron status and its association with pregnancy outcome in Korean pregnant women

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia among Korean pregnant women and to assess the association between maternal hemoglobin (Hb) level and pregnancy outcome. DESIGN: A longitudinal study. SETTING: Ewha Womans University Hospital, Seoul, Korea. SUBJECTS: A total of 248 normal pregnant women of 24-28 weeks gestation and 190 babies born to the pregnant subjects. METHODS: Maternal anthropometry, blood parameters and pregnancy outcomes were measured. RESULTS: Mean Hb, serum iron concentration, transferrin saturation and total iron binding capacity of the subjects were 11.4 g/dl, 89.4 microg/dl, 18.7% and 484.6 microg/dl, respectively, and 30.2% of the subjects were anemic judged by Hb concentration of <10.5 g/dl. When subjects were classified into tertile groups based on Hb levels, the lowest tertile (HbT1) group had significantly lower concentrations of cord serum iron and albumin than those in the highest tertile (HbT3) group. Newborn infants from the HbT1 group had significantly higher rates of preterm delivery, low birth weight and low Apgar scores than those in other groups. Logistic regression analysis showed that maternal serum albumin and Hb level were the most important predictive variables for low birth weight.Conclusions:A substantial proportion of Korean pregnant women were at risk of anemia. Infants born to women with a low Hb level showed a lower birth weight, height and Apgar scores.     

Folate status,women's health,pregnancy outcome,and cancer.

Key observations by Dr. Lucy Wills 65 years ago have led to the identification of folate as a nutrient essential for the prevention of megaloblastic anemia of pregnancy. The more recently discovered relationships of folate status to cervical dysplasia, neural tube defects, and atherosclerosis are reviewed here.     

孕期膳食营养指导对孕期营养状况及妊娠结局影响

目的探讨孕期膳食营养指导对孕妇营养状况及妊娠结局的影响。方法2012年10月-2013年10月, 对在沈阳市和平区妇幼保健所进行孕期保健的500名孕妇随机分为观察组和对照组, 分别给予常规健康指导和规范的个体化膳食营养指导及常规性孕期健康指导, 分析2组孕妇孕晚期体内营养素水平及分娩结局的差异。结果观察组和对照组孕妇妊娠高血压的发生率分别为3.7%和8.3%, 巨大儿发生率分别为4.1%和8.7%, 宫内发育迟缓率分别为3.3%和7.9%, 观察组均低于对照组, 差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论加强孕妇孕期膳食营养指导可以改善其营养状况, 预防和降低不良妊娠结局的发生。     

子痫前期并发胎儿生长受限的妊娠结局和危险因素分析

目的 探讨子痫前期(preeclampsia,PE)并发胎儿生长受限(fetal growth restriction,FGR)的相关危险因素和妊娠结局.方法 回顾性分析2018年7月至2020年12月广州医科大学附属第六医院237例PE孕妇临床资料,根据是否发生FGR分为PE并发FGR组(观察组)以及未并发FGR组(...     

Effect of alpha-linolenic acid supplementation during pregnancy on maternal and neonatal polyunsaturated fatty acid status and pregnancy outcome

BACKGROUND: Maternal essential fatty acid status declines during pregnancy, and as a result, neonatal concentrations of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) and arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n-6) may not be optimal. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to improve maternal and neonatal fatty acid status by supplementing pregnant women with a combination of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3n-3) and linoleic acid (LA, 18:2n-6), the ultimate dietary precursors of DHA and AA, respectively. DESIGN: From week 14 of gestation until delivery, pregnant women consumed daily 25 g margarine supplying either 2.8 g ALA + 9.0 g LA (n = 29) or 10.9 g LA (n = 29). Venous blood was collected for plasma phospholipid fatty acid analyses at weeks 14, 26, and 36 of pregnancy, at delivery, and at 32 wk postpartum. Umbilical cord blood and vascular tissue samples were collected to study neonatal fatty acid status also. Pregnancy outcome variables were assessed. RESULTS: ALA+LA supplementation did not prevent decreases in maternal DHA and AA concentrations during pregnancy and, compared with LA supplementation, did not increase maternal and neonatal DHA concentrations but significantly increased eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3) and docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-3) concentrations. In addition, ALA+LA supplementation lowered neonatal AA status. No significant differences in pregnancy outcome variables were found. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal ALA+LA supplementation did not promote neonatal DHA+AA status. The lower concentrations of Osbond acid (22:5n-6) in maternal plasma phospholipids and umbilical arterial wall phospholipids with ALA+LA supplementation than with LA supplementation suggest only that functional DHA status improves with ALA+LA supplementation.     

某地区妊娠早期妇女碘营养状况与甲状腺功能减退症的相关性分析

目的研究分析甘肃地区妊娠早期妇女碘营养的实际情况,探究妊娠早期妇女碘营养的情况与其甲状腺功能减退症之间存在的关系。方法选取2015年2月至2016年5月于甘肃省平凉市庄浪县计划生育服务站进行常规产前检查的早期妊娠妇女200例作为研究对象,采用分光光度法测定其在空腹状态下尿碘水平以及血清中的促甲状腺激素、血清游离甲状腺素水平。结果选取的200例中早期妊娠妇女中尿碘水平的范围为8.2~1 857.8mg/L,中位数为178.3mg/L,碘缺乏总例数为79例,所占比例为39.5%,尿碘异常患者总例数为121例,所占比例为60.5%;早期妊娠妇女不同碘水平状态下血清中的促甲状腺激素有明显差异(P0.05),但血清游离甲状腺素水平无显著差异(P0.05);碘摄入异常患者的甲状腺功能减退症发生率为7.1%(9/126),显著高于碘摄入正常者的1.4%(1/74),具有统计学差异(χ~2=3.661,P0.05)。结论甘肃省平凉市庄浪县地区妊娠早期妇女中碘摄取量普遍不足,存在着碘缺乏的现象,碘摄取量不同会明显影响促甲状腺激素水平,且可能是导致甲状腺功能减退症的重要影响因素。